A Psalm or hymn is in Deuteronomy 32.  The death of Moses is near, and Yahweh gives this last message in song to him.  It is to be a lasting remembrance for Israel.

God is perfect, great, just, and faithful.  The praises of God are singing one last time by the man who brought a nation out of Egypt as he had been called to do.  He made mistakes and knew this congregation would as well.  Jehovah is the infallible guide.

This song tells the history and future of Israel.  Moses reminds them of who their Lord is and who they are. He reminds them that they must follow Him all their lives and through all their future if they wish to be blessed as God has promised.  After he finishes, Moses is instructed in how he will leave this earth to be with God.

We need to listen to this psalm with our hearts and not just our minds. Life is a series of choices. Good or bad. We make our own destiny. We can choose Jehovah’s way or our own. That is the simple message of scripture.

Deuteronomy 33 is the blessing Moses pronounced over Israel before he went into the mountains to die.  The Law is king over the descendants of Joshua.  He starts with Reuben to live long and not die.  Judah is to defend the Lord’s cause.  Levi is to make judgments with Jehovah’s assistance.  He is a teacher and minister but has a poor pastoral manner.  Benjamin will shield those that God loves.   Joseph is described as a jewel from above.  He is a prince among his brothers.  He blessed Zebulun & Issachar.  Gad chose the best portion for himself and defended others.  Dan is a lion’s cub.  Naphtali is a favor of the Lord.  Asher is the most blessed of the sons and his strength will last all his life.  For some reason, Simeon seems to have been left out of this blessing.

The last the Israelites hear of Moses is Deuteronomy 34.  He can see the land of Canaan but did not go in.  Moses died and Jehovah buried him in Moab.  Joshua took over for him as the leader.  The short chapter ends with the statement that no one has ever done the awesome deeds of Moses because he saw Yahweh face to face.

We now leave the five books of the law. Joshua begins historical books. Some of these will seem long with genealogies and more statistics than storytelling. Don’t miss the good stuff by jumping over the boring.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Deuteronomy 30 continues the warning by telling the Jews that even though they are scattered all over the world, Yahweh will continue to bless them.  They may no longer occupy the land, and yet will continue to be a nation and someday can return to Canaan.

Obedience and disobedience are easy to determine.  Simply read the word and compare it to your life.  It does not take a revelation from Heaven to make these decisions.  All we must do is the same.  The decision to accept Christ and follow Him is easy.  It is a life or death choice just as the Israelite’s decision to obey the law was.

Moses is not allowed to enter Canaan with the Israelites.  This is the focus of Deuteronomy 31.  Joshua has already been selected to take the leadership role.  Moses reminded him to be strong and courageous.

The Law is to be read in its entirety every seven years during the year of Jubilee.  This is to allow the children to learn the statutes and precepts.  The word is to be taught in the home and the entire community.  Sometimes we think the Church is the only place for learning about Jehovah.

God knows everything we will do.  He knows of the rebellion and tragedy of the Israelites future.  He also knows your life, past, present, and future.  Therefore no one can guide us as He can.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

The blessings of the Lord are guaranteed in Deuteronomy 28 to the Israelites, but only if they obey all the laws of Jehovah.  These blessings are for protection, crops, children and in every conceivable method.  These blessings will come only as a result of obedience.

The opposite is also true.  If people do not follow Yahweh’s commands, they will not be blessed.  Rain will not come.  Crops will not grow.  Healthy children will not be born.  Their enemies will defeat them and drive them from their land.  If they do not follow the Lord’s leadership, the land will not continue to be theirs.

The Jews of today have the land of Canaan as their homeland again.  Despite this, many still live in lands all over the world.  This was part of their punishment for disobedience.  Another dimension is the unrest in the middle east today.  Had the Jews remained faithful to Yahweh, those troubles would not exist.

Our trek through Deuteronomy now comes to verse twenty-nine.  The covenant is renewed between the children of Israel and the two and a half tribes that have taken possession of the land on that side of the Jordan River.  They are reminded of the history of the escape from Egypt and the wandering in the wilderness.  God has been good, and He will continue to provide, but only if the people stay faithful.

Once again, the warning to avoid idolatry is made.  They are told how their lives, land, and livelihood will suffer when this happens.  The admonition to eliminate everything that might cause them to stray from Jehovah is repeated.  They have not crossed the Jordan yet, but they must be ready to fight these temptations.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Deuteronomy 17 continues the repetition of the law.  The requirement for two or three witnesses before the death penalty is carried out is repeated.  The Levites are the final judiciary authority if the judges cannot come to a decision.  They are like our appeals courts.

Jehovah knew the Israelites would want a king like other nations and tells them to only accept a king that He gives to them.  The king also must have his own copy of the Levitical law.  How could the leadership help them follow Yahweh if they do not know His Statutes and principals?

We start out again in Deuteronomy 18 with a reminder that the Levites are due a portion of the sacrifices.  The parts of the animal they are to receive are specified.

Today we have many who dabble in witchcraft or sorcery or are interested in reading books about these.  The Harry Potter series is full of this kind of practice.  Mediums are also popular in modern times.  I have heard that people may not be Christians, but they claim to be spiritual.  This chapter denounces all forms of spiritual practice that does not have Jehovah at the center.  He finds these things detestable.  For the Christian, we must keep ourselves separate from anything that He does not approve of.  We are saved from our sins, but we still will suffer the consequences of them.

Prophecy is also rampant these days.  Here we have the answer for how to judge a prophet of Yahweh from someone who is not.  If the prophecy is true, every time, they are true prophets.  If they miss, even once, they are false prophets.  It is that simple.

A city of refuge as defined in Deuteronomy 19, is one of three towns that an Israelite can escape to in the event they accidentally kill someone.  These communities will not protect a murderer.  The avengers that cannot follow them into these cities are family or friends who are set on revenge.  The eye for an eye and life for a life law is overruled in this case.

The basis for multiple witnesses in a trial is again mentioned here.  This time it is not just for capital cases.  Justice is an idea that God wants us to strive for.  Mercy will come later.

Deuteronomy 20 begins with instructions on how to conquer their enemies in Canaan.  Each battle should begin with a priest proclaiming that Jehovah will fight for them.  Then the officers give anyone who has a good reason or is merely fearful, to go home.  Conscientious objectors would fall into this category.

Each city should have the opportunity to surrender.  If they refuse, all men are to be killed, while the women, children and all other possessions can be taken as plunder.  Certain of the nations must be destroyed with no survivors or animals left alive.  These people groups are the ones that they have been warned not to worship their gods.

Note the last paragraph that instructs them not to destroy fruit trees.  This seems to be common sense.  Fresh fruit is always beneficial to humans.  It seems odd that Yahweh would add this idea to guidelines for taking the land.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Cleanliness is next to godliness is a common saying.  Deuteronomy 14 points out the things that the Israelites are to avoid keeping from being unclean.  The first paragraph deals with activities that are involved in the worship of idols.

From there we look at the animals and fish that are considered clean and unclean.  Simon Peter was presented with some of these unclean animals in the book of Acts.  God tells him not to consider anything that God made, and He made everything, unclean.  That is why many of us Christians have no problems with eating bacon and ham.  I still don’t think I want to eat a camel.

The tithe is another controversial topic with some.  Why does Jehovah need ten percent of everything that the fields and flocks produce?  He doesn’t.  Two-thirds of that is for a party in honor of Jehovah.  The other third is for the Levites and the widows and orphans.  Imagine how simple it would be if everyone gave ten percent of what they earned, and the church used two thirds for their members and staff and the other third for benevolence.  Who would need the government?

The foundation of the American system of bankruptcy is in Deuteronomy 15.  The year of Jubilee is something that no human government has ever done on a regular basis.  Generosity is the foundation of Christianity.  Servants and debtors are to be released from their debt.

The first functional ear piercing is discussed here.  A servant that does not want to be released from their servitude is to allow the master to pierce the ear lobe.  If you men want to claim that your pierced ears are for your service to the Lord, I would like to see the doorpost.

Once again, we come to the clean and unclean as well as the redemption of the first-born sons and the sacrifice of the firstborn animals.  Sacrifice for redemption is established early in the life of the Israelites not because it is to continue through history, but to show why the Savior had to die.  When, where and how it all related to the law of the Jews.

Deuteronomy 16 starts with the celebration of Passover.  The time, the sacrifice, and the unleavened bread are all important.  Remember that Jesus was sacrificed at the exact time that the Passover lambs were being killed.

The Festivals of weeks and Tabernacles are also brought up.  The time, procedures, and reasons for these are given again.  Repetition is the method God tries to use to enable this group to stay faithful.  He also reminds us that no other god should be worshiped.

The government must also maintain justice and honest qualified judges are a necessity.  These must be available in every tribe and city throughout the nation.  Justice for all is an idea that did not originate in our country.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

The Lord reminds the Israelites in Deuteronomy 11, of all the things that He has done for them.  The promise of Jehovah to give them a land that will grow plentiful food for them and their descendants is just one.

A warning is given again to obey Him and that if they do not, they will not be blessed in the way that has been promised.  There is a blessing and a curse included here.  They must remind themselves and their children each day of who Yahweh is and what He wants them to do in the law.

Deuteronomy 12 tells specific ways to keep from falling into the worship of other gods.  Putting your faith in Jehovah is an action you must take.  He will choose a place of worship.  This is the worship center.  Not a single temple or high place for another god is to be converted to His worship.  When the early Christian church became the national church of the Roman government, many festivals and holidays were changed to Christian holidays.  Christmas, Easter, and Halloween are three.  We must separate the holy from the unholy because of this.  That is why Christmas and other holidays are more secular than they are holy.

The priests who were descended from Levi must be taken care of.  They would not have land to inherit.  Their legacy was the service to God.  The blood is pointed out as the part that has life in it.  Blood is not to be eaten or drank.  Other laws are not to be added unless specifically given by God.

Following other gods seems to be a broken record in Deuteronomy 13.  Here we see that prophets or dreamers who try to direct the Israelites to other deities are to be executed.  Family relationships are not to deter them from dealing with anyone who attempts to draw them from Jehovah.

Yahweh is serious about not worshiping anyone but Him and instructs the destruction of an entire town if it follows a worshiper of other gods.   By stopping individuals or groups from falling into idolatry the nation can be saved from the tragedy of being rejected by The Lord.  As we will read later, they did not obey these commands and suffered the consequences.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Deuteronomy 8 is the first place we read “People do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”  This is the scripture that Jesus quoted to Satan when He was tempted to turn stones into bread.  God will discipline them and us just as parents discipline their children.

Jehovah will provide a good life for them.  That will also be a problem.  A life of plenty will lead them to believe they are entitled and deserve everything they have.  That is our problem, in the United States today.  We are affluent and believe affluenza is an excuse for our children disobeying.  Yahweh tells us it is not.

In Deuteronomy 9 the Lord tells the Israelites that they will soon go into Canaan and conquer the Anakites and all the other people groups no matter their strength, power, or protection of the cities.  When this happens, they should not believe that God did this for them because they are better than others.  The reason they are given the land is because of the wickedness of the current inhabitants.

Moses reminds them of the times they have failed Jehovah and he has had to plead on their behalf.  The Jews were like we are.  We say we will follow Yahweh, but constantly break His laws in some of the worst ways possible.

Deuteronomy 10 rehearses the origin of the Ark of the Covenant and the separation of the Levites. This is necessary because for the last forty years those who witnessed this have died.  Their children and grandchildren are now ready to enter the promised land.  They are reminded of what their ancestors knew and had done.

The Jews are again commanded to obey The Lord’s laws and statutes.  They are instructed to take care of widows and orphans and to be kind to the foreigners that come to their land.  They were strangers in a land not their own.  Israel should set the example of what a truly holy people can be like.  Jesus told His followers to become what the Jews could never accomplish.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

Deuteronomy 5 is a rerun of the Ten Commandments.  These are often thought to be the ten most important laws.  They should be viewed as representative of what Jehovah wants us to do.  God is the only being that should be worshiped.  His name should be respected, and no false gods should be created.  The Sabbath day of rest is another way to honor him.

The fifth commandment and further establishes the order in the family with the children’s respect for their parents. Other laws of personal behavior are enumerated.  Murder, theft, adultery, false testimony, and coveting establish conduct that shows love and commitment for others.  Following these instructions are necessary for a civilized society.

Deuteronomy 6 tells us “If you obey all His decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life.”  This is the dilemma of all humanity.  We must obey all the laws with no mistakes.  No one can do that.

To remind themselves and their children of these laws they are to teach them to their children, talk about them all day and night long, write them on their clothes and walls.  As Christians, we must do the same.  Sunday School, Bible studies, Bible schools, Christian camps, T-shirts, and wall plaques are all ways we try to accomplish this.  This daily Bible reading is another way to bring God’s word into you.

The repetition may seem overkill, but we need the reminder often.  We must constantly remind ourselves of what Jehovah promised first the Jews and now us.  When we forget about Him, we will fail Him and ourselves.  Our sins are forgiven, but we want to be as faithful as we can.

The promise in Deuteronomy 7 is that Yahweh will enter the promised land ahead of them and drive out the current residents.  All they must do is remain faithful to God and He will provide for them.  Simple isn’t it.  Yeah, right.  They are being rejected because they have refused to acknowledge the Lord.

This also happened to Israel and can happen to us.  We must follow God and not just obey man-made rules that sound good to us.  We must listen to Jehovah, not our culture, ministers, parents or other leaders.  We are individually responsible for our own behavior.  God will bless us.  That blessing may not follow our desires, but His.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger

The Deja-vu continues in Deuteronomy 3.  The land of Og is taken as was written in Numbers.  These were some of the tall men that are called the Raphaites.  We are rehearsing the taking of the country before they crossed the Jordan.  We see again how Jehovah makes it possible for them to defeat those that appear physically stronger than the Israelites.

Moses will see the promised land from the mountain.  He will still not be allowed to cross over into it.  This was because of his disobedience with striking the rock to bring water for the Jews.

The instructions in Deuteronomy four are to obey and not add to or subtract from Yahweh’s law.  The Jews are different from every other nation in the world.  Their gods are not close to them as Jehovah is to the Hebrews and now Christians.

The laws that Jehovah has given them are to be honored.  All the law, not just the ones that they want to obey.  They are to be handed down to their children.  Idolatry is specifically mentioned as a threat to the Hebrew nation.  They are warned that they will be removed from the land if they do not obey Yahweh’s commands.  The interesting thing is that in the books of Kings, Chronicles and the prophets we will see this prediction coming to fruition.

The cities of refuge east of the Jordan are specified. The Land of Canaan will be established as the only place in the world where God’s laws are followed and no worship of any idol or false God will be accepted.  It may not be Heaven on earth, but it should be much better than anything seen before.

©Copyright 2020 by Charles Kensinger